Josiah Marty - College support for a good son

SUMMARY

Josiah is one of the most strong, intelligent, and generous young men I know. He has given so much. Now he needs our help. In the Fall, he will be attending college and needs to raise $7,038 per semester to live on campus. He cannot be a commuter student because his mother, whom he lives with, has a rare auto-immune disease with connective cancers, and she cannot be exposed to any viruses or bacterial infections. I cannot think of a more deserving young man than Josiah to receive support for his studies. Please donate generously.

STORY

Josiah’s mother was diagnosed with a rare, terminal auto-immune disease just a few months after he was born. His mom did the best she could, but she saw the impact that her illness had on her youngest son Josiah. With her illness and treatments, she does not have an immune system, so well before covid came around, his mom and his whole family had to be very careful of large crowds and indoor gatherings. Any virus or bacteria would send his mom to the hospital with potentially life-threatening symptoms. Before her diagnosis, she was able to throw big, themed birthday parties and have lots of playdates for her two older children, but for Josiah, birthday parties and playdates had to be kept very small. She homeschooled all three children and was not able to attend any award ceremonies or sports events. None of this deterred Josiah.

As Josiah grew up, he dove into his studies, his faith, and helping his mom and dad as much as he could. Then in January 2019, when Josiah was only 15 years old, his father was brought to the emergency room with intense symptoms that appeared to be a stomach bug. There they found that he was going into heart and organ failure. This was not just an ordinary stomach bug. He was admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit and 48 hours later, Josiah’s father suddenly died. The autopsy showed that his father had contracted a rare bacteria which attacks the heart. His father’s death hit the family hard. His father was the healthy one. It didn’t make sense. His mother with a terminal diagnosis outlived his father. Josiah’s mother worked hard to figure out how she would support the family and her house as a single mother with an advanced illness. One year later, as Josiah and his family were just beginning to come out of the heaviness of grief, the world was hit with COVID 19. Josiah’s older sister and brother had already moved out of the house and had apartments of their own, but as Josiah was finishing up high school, he and his mother went into a strict lockdown. Crowds, viruses, and bacterial infections were a threat to his mother before COVID, but now the threat was far more severe. During the first months of COVID, his mother could not get treatment because going to the hospital was too risky. Eventually, his mom was able to receive her treatments at home; however, his mother could not receive the vaccine because her body would not retain the antibodies (even from the new evushed vaccine), so when everyone else started loosening up their restrictions, Josiah and his mom were still wiping down door handles and maintaining strict social distancing. For three years now they have only met with friends outside at a distance. They do not go on trips or go to any restaurants or grocery stores. When his older brother or sister or anyone wants to come inside the house they must first quarantine and take a PCR test. They’ve had several holidays in the colder months where half the family is on the porch while Josiah and his mom remain inside by the window.

Through all of this Josiah and his mother have maintained a positive attitude and strong faith in God. Josiah passed the time by teaching himself to play guitar, focusing on his studies, and helping his mom with the projects around the house that his father used to do.

Now with college just a few weeks away, he and his mother are trying to figure out how he can do college. He cannot be a commuter because he cannot go to a large classroom and then come home. However, on her minimal disability income, they also cannot afford to send him to on-campus housing. They have applied for every hardship grant and scholarship, but Josiah still needs $14,076 to attend college safely. They thought about taking out a loan to cover this expense, but his mother worries that if she dies, her son will be burdened with college loans, her mortgage, and funeral expenses. Please help Josiah reach this goal! Donate generously. Any amount helps.